The halfway milestone in the £10 million upgrade of Southeastern‘s 112-strong Class 375 mainline train fleet was reached when the 56th train rolled out of Ashford Maintenance Depot.

All 112 of Southeastern’s Class 375 ‘Electrostar’ trains that .operates on routes serving Kent, East Sussex, and mainline London stations are being upgraded.

The improvements include the provision of at-seat power sockets and USB points, new LED lighting, and energy metering, which means that the railway only pays for the power it uses.

LED lights use 75-80% less energy to produce the same amount of light as incandescent or fluorescent lights, The reduction in demand for electricity will help to lower greenhouse gas emissions associated with lighting.

The Class 375 fleet is owned by Eversholt Rail Limited, and was introduced by Connex South Eastern between 2001 and 2005.

In August 2021 a contract was let to the company to modify the fleet which comprises 112 units in four sub-classes:

• Class 375/3 – three-car trains;
• Class 375/6 – four-car trains with dual voltage capability allowing to work on the third rail electrification across Southeastern’s network or underneath overhead electrification.;
• Class 375/7 – four-car trains;
• Class 375/9 – four-car trains.

A team of ten based at Southeastern’s Ashford Train Maintenance Centre working days and nights on a five shift turnaround are upgrading two trains per week.

The work is quite extensive as much of the train’s interior needs to be removed to gain access to fit the new electrical connections. Full testing takes place before each train is refitted to ensure that the new connections work correctly.

Mark Johnson, Southeastern’s Engineering Director, said: “The steady progress being made by our engineering team on the improvements to our ‘Electrostar’ trains means that customers are now more likely than not to be travelling on an upgraded train. This will enhance the journey experience on our mainline routes connecting London with Kent and East Sussex.

“There are cost benefits too as the new LED lighting has a longer lifespan and the electricity meters we are fitting contribute to our energy efficiency.”

Paul Sutherland, Client Services Director, Eversholt Rail, said: “We are delighted to continue to support Southeastern Trains by investing in improving our Class 375 fleet.  The Class 375 programme is one of several being carried out across Southeastern’s fleets that will improve the passenger experience and drive down costs for the railway”.